Improvement in compositions for coating alkali balls



UNITED STATES PATENT ornrenz AARON MENDLESON, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMPOSITIONS FOR COATING ALKALI BALLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,891, dated August13,1878; application filed June 10, 1878.

To'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON MENnLEsoN, of

the city and county of Albany, and State of coating. The compound, as acoating of the alkaline blocks, also withstands ordinary atmospherictemperatures without becoming soft; I and sticky, or requiringnon-conducting substances, such as sawdust, for packing, when w conveyedfrom place to place.

I take sixteen (16) parts by weight of Burgundy pitch and from two (2)to four (4) parts of ground plaster-of-paris and about one-half .5) partof olive or other fixed oil as the ingredients and about the proportionsof my compound. I now melt the pitch in any suitable vessel orkettleplaced over a fire, or otherwise; then I pour the oil among thepitch to make it more mobile and fluid, and prevent it from sticking tothe sides or inner surface of the kettle. The temperature of the pitchis elevated to about 240 centigrade, the plasterof-paris stirred amongit, and the whole stirred and boiled until all the moisture is expelledand the molten mass ceases to emit bubbles. It is then in a proper statefor coating the blocks of caustic alkali.

I now take the said blocks of alkali, which may be cast in any form insuitable molds, or compressed from granulated alkali, and each block issimply grasped with a pair of small tongs made of steel wire, the shapeof the tongs being like those employed to lift pieces of ice; and I dipthe block into the molten compound in the open kettle. The compoundquickly adheres to the surface of the alkali and covers it very evenly.The coated alkali block is then lifted out, and may be instantly cooledby dipping in cold water or pouring water over it but lprefer to hangeach block, whencoatechby its tongs, and expose it to a current ofcool'air until the coating becomes sufficiently hard.

The tongs used. are small, and a number of blocks of the alkali may bedipped at the same time. When cooled in the atmosphere the coating ofthe blocks looks clearer than when cooled in water; otherwise the wateranswers well. This coating compound for blocks of caustic alkali, usedinmaking domestic soap, covers the said blocks in a very easy and Sllnrple manner.

Complex apparatus, as used in the vacuum process, also metal and othercans, hard plaster, cements, and wrappers of india-rubber and fibrousmaterials are avoided and dispensed with.

The plaster-of-paris, which I use mixed with the pitch, prevents thecoating from becoming soft at common atmospheric temperatures. Compoundsof resin and fats for coating do not prevent the alkali from leakingduring hot weather when exposed in'open places.

I desire it to be understood that the method or process herein describedof applying my compound is not a part of the invention which is hereclaimed as new.

Having thus described my improvement, I claim as my invention Thecompound of Burgundy pitch, plasterof;paris, and oil for coating blocksof caustic alkali, the ingredients of the said compound being of theproportions herein set forth.

AARON MENDLESON.

